Network Automation: Driving The Future Of Connectivity

Driven by the need to deliver more capacity and bandwidth, the networking industry is well on the way with network automation. Here is a look at how it is shaping up

- Guy Matthews

Network operators are under more pressure than ever to reduce their costs and improve their margins. They must also work harder to deliver the experiences that their customers seek. The increased automation of the network would appear to be an essential part of meeting these challenges. It might even be the only way they can stay viable in the long term.

Network automation is the process of taking the human element out of the configuring, managing, testing, deploying and operation of physical and virtual devices within a network. With everyday tasks and functions automated and repetitive processes managed automatically, network service availability should in theory improve exponentially.

Automation empowers operations teams, freeing up their time for other tasks. It can also empower the service provider’s customer, allowing for greater selfdetermination and more effective self-service. It gives better visibility and clarity into what is happening in the network, helping solve problems before they impact services. It’s about a more agile and smoothrunning network. And at the end of the day it’s about transforming the service provider business, leading to a healthier bottom line and more secure future.

So where are we on the journey to a more autonomous network? And what are the technologies that will get us there?